Do Words Really Matter in Effective Communication?
Posted on October 11, 2012 by Baxter Dickson
In the communication development field, these statistics are often quoted: 93% of communication is non-verbal. 55% of impact comes from body language and 38% is tone of voice. Your words make up only 7% of the impact.
We hear those stats at VoicePRO. We’ve even repeated it on occasion. But the fact is, it’s not true. Or, more precisely, it’s not accurate. There’s a lot more complexity below the surface that’s worth a closer examination.
The Facts
Maybe we should start at the beginning. Albert Mehrabian, a UCLA professor, did communications research in the mid-1960s. He had subjects take two tests. In the first, they listened to nine words, spoken in various tones of voice, including some which contradicted the word, such as a positive reading of the word “don’t”. The findings showed that people’s response to the words was affected more by the tone of voice than the word itself.
The second test had subjects listen to a word read positively, negatively and neutrally, then view photos of three facial expressions conveying the same emotions. Respondents were better at accurately identifying emotion based on photos than sound.
Crunch the research numbers, and out comes the formula: 55/38/7. So we’re done, right? Not so fast. In the 40+ years since the research, legions of communications professionals have disputed the findings…with some fairly down-to-earth arguments. If words don’t matter, how does radio work? Why do we need to learn foreign languages? Will I understand driving directions if I roll up my car window so I can’t hear the person giving them?
Even Dr. Mehrabian himself has offered this clarification: “Please note that this and other equations regarding relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages were derived from experiments dealing with communications of feelings and attitudes (i.e. like-dislike). Unless a communicator is talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable.”
So where does that leave us – as communicators and communication professionals? Anything goes? Are there no reliable guideposts?
The Reality
Not at all. Let’s start here: WORDS MATTER. If they didn’t, the likes of Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain would be forgotten. The words, though never heard aloud, have impact. And, I think you and I are having a pretty interesting conversation right now without benefit of sound.
So what about the rest? I believe – I know – that body language and tone either help to drive home spoken words or interfere with them. It’s an either/or situation. Here’s why:
Dissonance between word, tone and body distracts. It can even create distrust. Mehrabian’s own research fits here. When words say one thing and the face or tone “says” another, we notice. Humans are hardwired to watch all those elements. If they’re not aligned we wonder if the person is insincere or not clear on the facts. In any case, it’s not helping the message get through.
Conversely, tone and body language can – and do – elevate the impact of a message. Your confidence conveys mastery of the information, which predisposes the audience to give it credence. A comfortable poise is likable, and likability helps create open-mindedness. And, of course, enthusiasm is infectious.
So parse the percentages any way you like, but the bottom line math is clear: We need all three elements to add up to powerful communication. We need to craft the best words we can find into meaningful content. We need to use our voices like a fine musician. And we need our body language to add the 3-D visual power to our message.
Let’s talk more about programs that give you the foundation theories and the real-world experience to be a strong communicator.
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